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**TheGame** · 04-20-2016, 07:32 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Wednesday's NBA playoffs betting preview and odds

The opening round of the NBA Playoffs gets back to business Wednesday night with a trio of solid matchups. The Hornets, Pistons, and Trail Blazers will all be trying to avenge Game 1 defeats.

Charlotte Hornets at Miami Heat (-4.5, 199)

Heat lead series 1-0

The third-seeded Miami Heat versus the sixth-seeded Charlotte Hornets was supposed to be one of the tighter matchups of the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Heat breezed to a 32-point victory in Game 1 and will try to open up a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven set with another easy win when they host the Hornets in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Miami’s clear advantage entering the series was experience, and Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng and Joe Johnson all have plenty of experience in the postseason, even if none of it came together. Deng looked comfortable with a season-high 31 points on 11-of-13 shooting in Game 1 to lead a 57.6 percent shooting effort from the Heat. “Whether you lose by 30 or one, it’s one-nothing,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford told reporters. “We lost one game. And up front, we just got manhandled. If Deng and (center Hassan) Whiteside are going to combine for those kinds of numbers, it’s going to be hard for us to win.” Charlotte was outrebounded 49-37 and outscored in the paint 56-36 but does not plan to move center Al Jefferson into the starting lineup.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, FSN Southeast (Charlotte), FSN Sun (Miami)

LINE HISTORY: The line for this contest opened with the Heat pegged as five-point favorites and the public didn't trust that line, betting it down to -4.5. The total opened at 202.5 and took a drastic downward turn - settling in at 199.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (48-35, 42-40-1 ATS, 41-40-2 O/U): Kemba Walker was one of three players to score in double figures with 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting in the first game but lamented the team’s execution. "We made a lot of mistakes," Walker told reporters. "Coach gave us an awesome game plan and we just completely went against it. We didn’t do what he told us to do. That’s not really us. We’re usually the team that plays mistake-free. (Sunday), that wasn’t the case. They played extremely well as well, but we definitely made a lot of mistakes." Starting guards Walker, Courtney Lee and Nicolas Batum each managed only one assist in the loss.

ABOUT THE HEAT (49-34, 44-38-1 ATS, 35-47-1 O/U): Whiteside was playing in his first postseason game and had no trouble getting the better of Charlotte’s frontcourt with 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting, 11 rebounds and three blocks in 26 minutes. “We just knew it was time to play Miami Heat basketball,” Whiteside told reporters. “We’re in the playoffs. It’s all or nothing. Just leave it all out there. We came out and played our hearts out as a team. We’re just going to try to keep it rolling.” Whiteside finished third in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting revealed on Monday.

TRENDS:

* Hornets are 1-7 ATS in their last 8 Conference Quarterfinals games.
* Heat are 7-0 ATS in their last 7 home games.
* Over is 6-0 in Hornets last 6 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Under is 6-1 in Heat last 7 games following a straight up win.
* Over is 9-0 in the last 9 meetings in Miami.

Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers (-10, 201)

Cavaliers lead series 1-0

The Detroit Pistons let an upset opportunity get away in the series opener and look to avoid a 0-2 hole when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Wednesday's Game 2. Eighth-seeded Detroit held a seven-point lead with 11 minutes remaining in Game 1 before top-seeded Cleveland rallied and stymied the Pistons.

Detroit point guard Reggie Jackson personifies the club's swagger and he doesn't see the missed opportunity as a devastating blow. "We know this is Goliath. We welcome it. We like the challenge," Jackson told reporters after the 106-101 loss. "I think we played well, I don't think we played necessarily our best game. We'll figure it out. It's a 1-0 series. We for sure got another one on Wednesday - come back and be ready to come out swinging." The Cleveland trio of point guard Kyrie Irving (playoff career-best 31 points), power forward Kevin Love (28 points, 13 rebounds) and small forward LeBron James (22 points, 11 assists) were all in stellar form in the opener. "We have a number of guys on this team, veterans that prepared us for this moment," Love told reporters. "So kind of leading up to it, three or four weeks left in the season, we were approaching every game like we had to get into the flow of a playoff game and approach every game as a tough one for us."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Detroit, FSN Ohio (Cleveland)

LINE HISTORY: The Cavs opened at -10.5 and the line was quicly dropped to -10 after Detroit's gutsy performance in Game 1. The total opened at 201 and hasn't moved off that number.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (44-39, 43-38-2 ATS, 43-40 O/U): Backup rookie forward Stanley Johnson was a solid contributor in the opener with nine points and eight rebounds in 16 minutes and coach Stan Van Gundy expressed his regret that he didn't play Johnson over Tobias Harris (nine points in 40 minutes) down the stretch. The first-round draft pick from Arizona averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in the regular season but has impressed his teammates with his tenacious approach. "Stanley Johnson is a complete dog. He doesn't fear no man," Jackson told reporters. "We all bleed, so there ain't no reason to worry anybody, and that's how he feels. He's going to come at you and attack you. It's a mindset that we all need to have, and it's one that we embrace with him on this team."

ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (58-25, 37-43-3 ATS, 42-41 O/U): Irving (five) and Love (four) combined for nine of Cleveland's 12 3-pointers in the opener and James was ecstatic to see both players come through after injuries ended their postseasons early last season. "For these two guys, they were just excited to get back to this moment," James told reporters. "These guys have been working hard - Kyrie on his knee, Kevin on his shoulder - just to get back to this moment. It was great to be out on the floor with them and for them to put together the performance that they did." Outside of the trio, there wasn't much offense from the rest of the Cavaliers, as the other six who played combined for just 25 points.

TRENDS:

* Pistons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Central.
* Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Under is 7-0 in Pistons last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Over is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 vs. NBA Central.
* Pistons are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Cleveland.

Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers (-8.5, 209)

Clippers lead series 1-0

The Los Angeles Clippers had no trouble with the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 and will try to take a 2-0 lead when they host Game 2 on Wednesday. The Clippers coasted to a 115-95 victory in the series opener behind 28 points and 11 assists from Chris Paul and a solid defensive effort against the Trail Blazers’ talented backcourt.

Paul had plenty of help from the rest of his teammates, including a strong game from Blake Griffin that made it look as if the former All-Star was all the way back from his quad and hand injuries. “I'm just going to go play and play as hard as I can and fill any void that we see as a team,” Griffin told reporters. “I'm not really worried about the whole, ‘Can he get back?’ or, ‘Will he be able to play at a high level?’ It's just about filling those gaps for our team and finding ways to help.” The Trail Blazers could use a solid performance from their frontcourt after starters Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and Mason Plumlee combined to go 7-of-25 from the field. The vaunted backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum wasn’t much better offensively and struggled trying to stop Chris Paul and J.J. Redick on the other end of the floor.

TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW (Portland), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)

LINE HISTORY: The Clippers opened as 8.5-point favorites and the total opened at 209 - neither number has moved at this point.

ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (44-39, 44-39 ATS, 44-39 O/U): Lillard managed 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting and eight assists in Game 1 but was no match for Paul in his first playoff game as the unquestioned leader of the team. "We knew that they would make runs, but you've got to answer back," Lillard told reporters. "You've got to get stops. You've got to score the ball." Lillard helped drag the team to the playoffs despite losing four veteran starters from a playoff team last season and needs more help from McCollum, who struggled to nine points on 3-of-11 shooting in Game 1.

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (54-29, 41-39-3 ATS, 34-49 O/U): Integrating Griffin back into the rotation after an absence of over three months was a focus for the team in the final two weeks of the regular season, and he looked comfortable in Game 1. "He was great,” Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers told reporters of Griffin. “Assertive. I loved his energy. Yeah, I mean, like I said before the game, I've been surprised with him. His energy, his endurance. (Sunday), I thought was the first day that he had great timing as well, so that was good for us.” Griffin delivered 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes after playing only five games down the stretch in the regular season.

TRENDS:

* Trail Blazers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
* Clippers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Over is 12-3 in Trail Blazers last 15 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 22-5 in Clippers last 27 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.

**TheGame** · 04-20-2016, 07:32 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Preview: Hornets (48-34) at Heat (48-34)

Date: April 20, 2016 7:00 PM EDT

So much can be said about what the Miami Heat don't have anymore from their last playoff run, but the start of the latest was all about newer faces.

Each began in similar fashion against the same team.

After a record-breaking blowout in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series, the Heat will go for their sixth straight postseason win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night in South Beach.

The last time Miami was in the playoffs, it fell in five games to San Antonio in the 2014 Finals, marking the breakup of its Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The latter two are still with the team, though Bosh has been out since the All-Star break with blood clots in his leg, and Wade, the longtime leader of the franchise, was merely the Heat's third-best player in Sunday's opener.

The 12-time All-Star scored 16 points in a 123-91 rout of the Hornets but took a back seat to a pair of players making their Heat postseason debuts.

Luol Deng made 11 of 13 shots for 31 points, his most in two seasons with Miami, and Hassan Whiteside shot 9 of 11 for 21 points while grabbing 11 rebounds and blocking three shots.

'Whether you lose by 30 or one, it's 1-0,' Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. 'So we lost one game. But obviously, particularly up front, we just got manhandled. And if Deng and Whiteside are going to combine for that kind of numbers, it's going to be hard for us to win.'

Deng, a 12-year veteran who spent his first 9 1/2 seasons with Chicago, hadn't scored that many points since going for 37 in a triple-overtime game against New Orleans while with the Bulls on Dec. 2, 2013.

'He wants to make winning plays,' coach Erik Spoelstra said. 'He wants to help a team. I think that will be different things, different nights. ... Mature, veteran players understand it's not about the numbers. It's about contribution of winning plays.'

While Wade was somewhat held in check, the Heat still posted a franchise playoff record for points and shot 57.6 percent. They made 9 of 18 3-pointers, including Deng's 4 of 6, and poured in 41 points in the opening quarter to match another franchise mark.

Oh, and they never trailed.

That was a similar story to the 2014 first-round series swept by the Heat, who won the four games over Charlotte by an average of 9.8 points. Eight regular-season matchups since that series have been split even though the Hornets have lost 15 of 16 in Miami, where the Heat have won seven in a row overall and 13 of 15 since the All-Star break.

Miami has won 10 straight first-round playoff games and 16 of its last 20 series after grabbing a 1-0 lead.

Charlotte, meanwhile, is still searching for its first playoff victory since topping the then-New Jersey Nets in Game 3 of a second-round series in 2002. The Hornets have since dropped 11 in a row.

Nicolas Batum scored 20 of his 24 points in Sunday's first half, and leading scorer Kemba Walker finished with 19 but sat out most of the fourth quarter with the game out of reach. Walker has averaged 19.4 points in five career playoff games, all losses to the Heat.

The two teams finished the regular season with identical 48-34 records, but Miami ended up with the No. 3 seed and home advantage in a tight East race, while Charlotte wound up sixth.

'I thought we were going to be ready to go,' Batum said. "We've got to be ready next game. This may be a good lesson for us.'

**TheGame** · 04-20-2016, 07:32 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Preview: Pistons (44-38) at Cavaliers (57-25)

Date: April 20, 2016 8:00 PM EDT

The Detroit Pistons did beat the Cleveland Cavaliers three times during the regular season, but the defending Eastern Conference champions' Big 3 was healthy for only one of those games.

The trio appears to be very much at full strength now, leaving the Pistons trying to avoid exiting Cleveland in an 0-2 hole Wednesday night even though they were quite competitive in the opener to this first-round series.

LeBron James has won 14 straight opening-round games, so even winning one from the Cavs would be a notable achievement for an eighth-seeded Detroit team making its first playoff appearance since 2009.

It's clear, though, that these young Pistons aren't lacking in confidence despite being heavy underdogs against a team which has so much more playoff experience and All-Star appearances - 12 for James and three apiece for Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love.

Reggie Jackson is Detroit's only starter with playoff experience and Andre Drummond has the roster's lone All-Star nod.

"We don't care who you put in front of us," Jackson said. "We fear nobody and experience is going to be our best teacher. We're going to learn on the fly. We think we have a chance."

That certainly was the case Sunday in Game 1, which the Pistons led by seven early in the fourth quarter before losing 106-101.

Irving had seven of his 31 points in the final 3 1/2 minutes, Love's 28 included two key 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions midway through the fourth and James chipped in 22 points with 11 assists.

"It definitely starts with us. It starts with our mindsets and it starts with how we approach the game," James said when asked about the Big 3's role.

It was a triumphant return to the playoffs for Irving, who broke his kneecap in Game 1 of last year's NBA Finals, as well as for Love, whose 2015 postseason ended in the first round with a shoulder injury.

"For these two guys, they were just excited to get back to this moment," James said. "It was great to be out on the floor with them and for them to put together the performance that they did."

Love's 22 field-goal attempts were his most in a Cavaliers uniform, and Cleveland improved to 17-4 this season when he has more than 20 points.

"My mentality was to be aggressive all night," said Love, who also grabbed 13 rebounds. "We have to do that the entire series."

Coach Tyronn Lue echoed those sentiments and had to be happy that Cleveland outscored Detroit in the paint (38-24) and off turnovers (19-2) after the Pistons won both battles in three of four regular-season meetings.

"Our objective in this series is to be aggressive and attack; we don't want to bail them out with jump shots," Lue told the Cavaliers' official website. "We want to attack, get downhill, get to the paint, and then we can kick out for 3s. I thought the Big 3 did a phenomenal job of doing that."

Detroit was the better 3-point shooting team in Game 1, hitting 15 of 29, even though Cleveland was much more prolific in that department this season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit four en route to 21 points and Marcus Morris made three and scored 20.

"I thought our guys were out there playing like it was any other game and competing hard," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I'm proud of the way they competed."

Yet, the Pistons know improvements must be made if they're going to hand James his first opening-round loss since 2012 and return to Detroit for Friday's Game 3 with the series tied.

They are one of only four East teams to win in Cleveland this season and the only one in the league to do it twice.

"We're still confident," Jackson said after scoring 17 points in Game 1. "We know this is Goliath. We welcome it. We like the challenge."

**TheGame** · 04-20-2016, 07:33 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Preview: Trail Blazers (44-38) at Clippers (53-29)

Date: April 20, 2016 10:30 PM EDT

While the frontcourt of Lob City seems to be back on the rise, Rip City's backcourt has stumbled in the opposite direction.

Still, the Los Angeles Clippers were critical of their 20-point blowout victory in the opener of their Western Conference first-round series, while the Portland Trail Blazers remained surprisingly optimistic.

Perhaps that's because the rout will mean little if the Clippers drop Wednesday night's Game 2 at Staples Center and relinquish the home advantage to the Trail Blazers.

Los Angeles cruised to Sunday's 115-95 victory behind a rejuvenated Blake Griffin, who played his sixth game after missing over three months with quadriceps and hand injuries - the latter from punching a team employee in January in a fight that resulted in a four-game suspension.

Griffin had his best stat line since his return with 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, and Chris Paul made 10 of 19 shots to finish with 28 points, 11 assists and six boards. The fourth-seeded Clippers improved to 6-0 with Griffin back in their lineup with their fourth straight win in this series.

They were electric offensively, shooting 53.8 percent - aided by several highlight-reel dunks from Griffin and DeAndre Jordan - and committing only 10 turnovers for their eighth consecutive win at Staples.

The other end of the floor, though, was the difference. The fifth-seeded Blazers, riding a 2-10 road slump, shot 39.8 percent and 33.3 from 3-point range. Damian Lillard was the only starter to make more than three shots, finishing 7 of 17 for 21 points.

However, after watching game film Monday, the Clippers felt it was more of an off-shooting night for Portland than a defensive effort worthy of applause.

"I thought we were good defensively, but I don't think we were anything past good," coach Doc Rivers told the team's official website. "We made a lot of mistakes. They're going to make adjustments, and we're going to have to be better."

The recurring game plan will be trying to slow Lillard and backcourt running mate C.J. McCollum, who finished 3 of 11 for nine points. The pair combined to average 45.9 in the regular season.

"They go as Damian goes," Austin Rivers told the team's official website. "Our focus was to stop him and limit everybody else as well. And I still think we can do a better job of that."

The Blazers missed 50 of 83 shots and 20 of 30 from long range for their worst shooting game since March 14. Somehow, they took that as a positive as they try to avoid their second straight first-round exit.

"They played as good a game as they've played in a while," Lillard said of Los Angeles. "We just have to understand that the things we saw on film, if we clean up some of those things offensively and defensively, then we'll have a chance. We know we'll have a chance."

Dropping Game 2 would make a comeback much more difficult. NBA teams are 16-254 all-time after trailing 0-2 in a best-of-seven series, and only two of 53 teams to face that hole have prevailed since 2009.

However, the last team to cough up that advantage was Los Angeles in a six-game first-round exit at the hands of Memphis in 2013.

The Trail Blazers are 1-7 when facing a 0-2 deficit, the lone victory coming in the 1977 Finals against Philadelphia. To avoid it they will have to beat the Clippers at Staples Center for just the second time in 11 tries over the last five seasons.

**TheGame** · 04-20-2016, 07:33 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

NBA Odds: Wednesday, April 20 2016 Opening Line Report and Handicapping
by Alan Matthews

These are not your father's New York Knicks. Two decades ago, that was one of the top jobs in the NBA, maybe the best. Pat Riley took it. So did Rick Pitino. But now that franchise is a mess and team president Phil Jackson reportedly can't even get a Warriors assistant coach, Luke Walton, to take over as head coach. Meanwhile, to show how much has changed, the perennially downtrodden Minnesota Timberwolves -- formerly the Siberia of the NBA for coaches -- have plenty of big names interested in their opening because of so much young talent on the roster, and they are likely to hire either Jeff Van Gundy, a former Knicks coach, or Tom Thibodeau, the former Bulls coach, as their new guy very soon. Whomever it is likely also gets full control over personnel like Stan Van Gundy has in Detroit. Expect a decision this week.

Game 2: No. 6 Hornets at No. 3 Heat (-4.5, 202)

Charlotte and Miami finished with the same regular-season record, but they didn't belong on the same court in Game 1 as the Heat crushed the Hornets 123-91. It was over after one quarter with Miami up 41-22. Luol Deng had a season-high 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting and Hassan Whiteside had 21 points on 9-for-11 from the field to go with 11 rebounds in the first playoff game of his career. They were only the second pair of teammates to each shoot better than 80 percent from the field during the same game (with at least 10 attempts) during the postseason since the shot clock era. The other duo was Miami's Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Williams on May 2, 2006, vs. Detroit. The Heat's 41 first-quarter points tied their most ever in any playoff quarter and their 123 total points were a team record in a postseason game. The Heat turned it over only six times, tying the second-fewest in a playoff game, and the 32-point margin of victory was No. 4 in team playoff history.

Charlotte shot 43.1 percent overall and 6-for-17 from long range. It had 11 total assists, just one more than Miami's Goran Dragic by himself. Nic Batum had 24 points, Kemba Walker 19 and Al Jefferson 13 off the bench but no one else bothered showing up. The Hornets have lost 11 straight playoff games, tied for the third-longest losing streak in NBA postseason history.

Series line: Heat -350, Hornets +290

Key trends: Miami is 7-0 against the spread in its past seven home games. The Heat are 11-4 ATS in their past 15 after a win of at least 10 points. The Hornets are 1-4 ATS in their past five as a road dog. The "over/under" is 7-3 in Miami's past 10 vs. teams with a winning record. The over is 6-0 in Charlotte's past six overall.

Early lean: Heat and over.

Game 2: No. 8 Pistons at No. 1 Cavaliers (-10, 201)

Game 1 of this series was one of the few that were actually close. Cleveland escaped with a 106-101 victory, but the Pistons definitely gave the Cavs all they could handle. Detroit led entering the third and fourth quarters and was up seven with about 11 minutes left before the Cavs went on a run to take the lead for good. The Cavs' Big 3 of LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love all played well. James had 22 points, 11 assists and six rebounds, Irving 31 points and six assists, and Love 28 points, including a couple of clutch baskets, and 13 rebounds. Remember, LeBron never had those two on the floor with him after last year's first-round series against Boston.

Detroit did beat Cleveland three of four times in the regular season, although one of those games was totally meaningless. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points, Marcus Morris had 20 -- one after halftime -- and Reggie Jackson added 17 for the Pistons in Game 1. Andre Drummond had 13 points and 11 rebounds but wasn't a huge factor down low as he was often covering Love outside the paint. The Pistons aren't a great 3-point shooting team but finished 15-for-29. Not sure they can keep that up. Stan Van Gundy ripped the refs during a TV interview during the game, saying that LeBron basically does what he wants on offense without ever being called for a charge. Van Gundy's probably right, but he was fined $25K. We shall see if the refs call something on LeBron in Game 2.

Series line: Cavaliers -4000, Pistons +1600

Key trends: The Pistons are 3-7 ATS in their past 10 following an ATS win. The Cavs are 5-2 ATS in their past seven after allowing at least 100 points in their previous game. The over is 6-2 in Detroit's past eight after a loss.

Early lean: Cavaliers and under.

Game 2: No. 5 Trail Blazers at No. 4 Clippers (-8.5, 209)

Portland hung with the Clippers for most of the first half in Game 1 but then Los Angeles pulled away with runs entering the half and coming out of intermission for a 115-95 blowout win. Chris Paul totally crushed his matchup with Damian Lillard as Paul had 28 points, 11 assists, six rebounds and two steals. Blake Griffin looked back to pre-injury form as he threw down three big dunks and had 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. He and DeAndre Jordan (18 points, 12 rebounds, four blocks) dominated the smaller Blazers in the paint.

The Blazers' lone chance is for guards Lillard and C.J. McCollum to average about 50 points a night in the series. Lillard had 21 in the opener but was just 7-for-17 from the field. McCollum was swallowed up by the much bigger Luc Richard Mbah a Moute on defense as McCollum finished with just nine points on 3-for-11 shooting. The Clippers essentially dared anyone else to beat them and no one could. The Blazers have to hit a ton of 3-pointers for the upset but were only 10-for-30 from long range in Game 1.

Series line: Clippers -900, Trail Blazers +675

Key trends: The Blazers are 0-4 ATS in their past four games. They have failed to cover their past five playoff games as an underdog. The Clippers are 4-0 ATS in their past four at home. The over is 7-2 in the Clippers' past nine as playoff favorite.

Early lean: Clippers and over.

**Satch** · 04-20-2016, 09:44 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

NBA Basketball Betting Trends – Wed – April, 20
Charlotte at Miami, 7:05 ET
Charlotte: 18-8 ATS revenging a road loss vs opponent
Miami: 9-18 ATS after having won 5 or 6 of their last 7
Detroit at Cleveland, 8:05 ET
Detroit: 20-38 ATS after covering 3 of their last 4 against the spread
Cleveland: 12-4 ATS after allowing 100 points or more 2 straight games
Portland at LA Clippers, 10:35 ET
Portland: 7-0 ATS after a blowout loss by 20 points or more
Los Angeles: 7-17 ATS after scoring 100 points or more 3 straight games

**Satch** · 04-20-2016, 09:45 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Detroit Pistons at Cleveland Cavaliers (-10, 201)
♦Cavaliers lead series 1-0♦
The Detroit Pistons let an upset opportunity get away in the series opener and look to avoid a 0-2 hole when they visit the Cleveland Cavaliers in Wednesday’s Game 2. Eighth-seeded Detroit held a seven-point lead with 11 minutes remaining in Game 1 before top-seeded Cleveland rallied and stymied the Pistons.
Detroit point guard Reggie Jackson personifies the club’s swagger and he doesn’t see the missed opportunity as a devastating blow. “We know this is Goliath. We welcome it. We like the challenge,” Jackson told reporters after the 106-101 loss. “I think we played well, I don’t think we played necessarily our best game. We’ll figure it out. It’s a 1-0 series. We for sure got another one on Wednesday – come back and be ready to come out swinging.” The Cleveland trio of point guard Kyrie Irving (playoff career-best 31 points), power forward Kevin Love (28 points, 13 rebounds) and small forward LeBron James (22 points, 11 assists) were all in stellar form in the opener. “We have a number of guys on this team, veterans that prepared us for this moment,” Love told reporters. “So kind of leading up to it, three or four weeks left in the season, we were approaching every game like we had to get into the flow of a playoff game and approach every game as a tough one for us.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Detroit, FSN Ohio (Cleveland)
LINE HISTORY:
The Cavs opened at -10.5 and the line was quicly dropped to -10 after Detroit’s gutsy performance in Game 1. The total opened at 201 and hasn’t moved off that number.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (44-39, 43-38-2 ATS, 43-40 O/U):
Backup rookie forward Stanley Johnson was a solid contributor in the opener with nine points and eight rebounds in 16 minutes and coach Stan Van Gundy expressed his regret that he didn’t play Johnson over Tobias Harris (nine points in 40 minutes) down the stretch. The first-round draft pick from Arizona averaged 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in the regular season but has impressed his teammates with his tenacious approach. “Stanley Johnson is a complete dog. He doesn’t fear no man,” Jackson told reporters. “We all bleed, so there ain’t no reason to worry anybody, and that’s how he feels. He’s going to come at you and attack you. It’s a mindset that we all need to have, and it’s one that we embrace with him on this team.”
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (58-25, 37-43-3 ATS, 42-41 O/U):
Irving (five) and Love (four) combined for nine of Cleveland’s 12 3-pointers in the opener and James was ecstatic to see both players come through after injuries ended their postseasons early last season. “For these two guys, they were just excited to get back to this moment,” James told reporters. “These guys have been working hard – Kyrie on his knee, Kevin on his shoulder – just to get back to this moment. It was great to be out on the floor with them and for them to put together the performance that they did.” Outside of the trio, there wasn’t much offense from the rest of the Cavaliers, as the other six who played combined for just 25 points.
TRENDS:
* Pistons are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 vs. NBA Central.
* Cavaliers are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 vs. Eastern Conference.
* Under is 7-0 in Pistons last 7 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Over is 4-0 in Cavaliers last 4 vs. NBA Central.
* Pistons are 9-2 ATS in the last 11 meetings in Cleveland.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Van Gundy was fined $25,000 by the NBA for saying during an in-game television interview that the officials give James all the calls.
2. Detroit SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 21 points in Game 1 and made four of his team’s 15 3-point baskets.
3. Cavaliers backup PG Mo Williams (knee) missed the opener and is doubtful for Game 2.
PREDICTION: Cavaliers 111, Pistons 102

**Satch** · 04-20-2016, 09:46 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Portland Trail Blazers at Los Angeles Clippers (-8.5, 209)
♦Clippers lead series 1-0♦
The Los Angeles Clippers had no trouble with the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 and will try to take a 2-0 lead when they host Game 2 on Wednesday. The Clippers coasted to a 115-95 victory in the series opener behind 28 points and 11 assists from Chris Paul and a solid defensive effort against the Trail Blazers’ talented backcourt.
Paul had plenty of help from the rest of his teammates, including a strong game from Blake Griffin that made it look as if the former All-Star was all the way back from his quad and hand injuries. “I’m just going to go play and play as hard as I can and fill any void that we see as a team,” Griffin told reporters. “I’m not really worried about the whole, ‘Can he get back?’ or, ‘Will he be able to play at a high level?’ It’s just about filling those gaps for our team and finding ways to help.” The Trail Blazers could use a solid performance from their frontcourt after starters Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless and Mason Plumlee combined to go 7-of-25 from the field. The vaunted backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum wasn’t much better offensively and struggled trying to stop Chris Paul and J.J. Redick on the other end of the floor.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, TNT, KGW (Portland), Prime Ticket (Los Angeles)
LINE HISTORY:
The Clippers opened as 8.5-point favorites and the total opened at 209 – neither number has moved at this point.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (44-39, 44-39 ATS, 44-39 O/U):
Lillard managed 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting and eight assists in Game 1 but was no match for Paul in his first playoff game as the unquestioned leader of the team. “We knew that they would make runs, but you’ve got to answer back,” Lillard told reporters. “You’ve got to get stops. You’ve got to score the ball.” Lillard helped drag the team to the playoffs despite losing four veteran starters from a playoff team last season and needs more help from McCollum, who struggled to nine points on 3-of-11 shooting in Game 1.
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (54-29, 41-39-3 ATS, 34-49 O/U):
Integrating Griffin back into the rotation after an absence of over three months was a focus for the team in the final two weeks of the regular season, and he looked comfortable in Game 1. “He was great,” Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers told reporters of Griffin. “Assertive. I loved his energy. Yeah, I mean, like I said before the game, I’ve been surprised with him. His energy, his endurance. (Sunday), I thought was the first day that he had great timing as well, so that was good for us.” Griffin delivered 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in 32 minutes after playing only five games down the stretch in the regular season.
TRENDS:
* Trail Blazers are 8-1 ATS in their last 9 games following a straight up loss of more than 10 points.
* Clippers are 1-8 ATS in their last 9 games playing on 2 days rest.
* Over is 12-3 in Trail Blazers last 15 games vs. a team with a winning % above .600.
* Under is 22-5 in Clippers last 27 when their opponent allows 100 points or more in their previous game.
* Under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings in Los Angeles.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Trail Blazers G Gerald Henderson scored 16 points in 30 minutes off the bench in Game 1.
2. Clippers starting SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute did not attempt a shot in 19 minutes.
3. Los Angeles C DeAndre Jordan collected 18 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks and was 8-of-18 from the free-throw line after heading to the stripe for several trips late with Portland trying to get back into the game.
PREDICTION: Clippers 110, Trail Blazers 102

**Satch** · 04-20-2016, 09:47 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Playoffs
Detroit-Cleveland (C 1-0)
Pistons won three of last five games with Cleveland, but couldn’t hold its 58-53 halftime lead in Game 1, losing by 5. Detroit was 15-29 from arc and still lost. Five of last six series games went over total. Detroit won three of last five games overall. Cavaliers lost three of last five games; they covered four of last five at home. Six of last eight Cleveland games went over total. Cleveland had only four turnovers in Game 1.
Charlotte-Miami (M 1-0)
Hornets lost four of last five visits to Miami (over 5-0); they’re 4-7 in their last 11 games overall vs Miami. Charlotte won four of its last six games (over 6-0); they’re 4-4 SU in last eight road games. Miami won five of its last seven games; five of their last eight stayed under. Heat won, covered its last five home games. Heat had only six turnovers and made 9-18 on arc in its Game 1 win.
Portland-LA Clippers (LA 1-0)
Portland lost seven of last nine games with Clippers, going 4-2 vs spread (1-5 SU) in last six played here. Trailblazers won seven of their last ten games overall; five of their last seven stayed under the total. Clippers won their last six home games, covering five of them. Four of five LA starters were +20 or better in Game 1 which was only 50-42 at the half. Clippers shot 53.8% on floor, held Portland to 39.8%.
Playoff tally: Favorites vs spread: 9-4, Over: 3-10

**Satch** · 04-20-2016, 09:48 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

Wednesday’s Tip Sheet
By Kevin Rogers
Eastern Conference – Game 2 – Miami leads 1-0
Hornets at Heat (-4 ½, 199) – 7:05 PM EST – NBATV
Miami put together the best offensive performance not only in the opening weekend of the NBA playoffs, but also in franchise history in Game 1 against Charlotte. The Heat ripped the Hornets, 123-91 to easily cash as 4 ½-point favorites and grab an early 1-0 series advantage. The only question is if Miami can keep up that hot shooting going into Game 2.
In the series opener, Miami’s Luol Deng torched Charlotte by knocking down 11-of-13 shots from the floor for 31 points, leading four Heat starters in double-figures. The Heat shot a blistering 57.6% from the field, while dropping 41 points in the first quarter to improve to 5-0 in the last five playoff games against Charlotte. Since 2011, Miami owns an 11-2 record in Game 1 playoff contests at the American Airlines Arena, while compiling a 9-3 SU and 6-6 ATS mark in Game 2’s at home in this span.
The Charlotte franchise hasn’t won a playoff game since getting rebooted in 2004 by losing all nine postseason contests in this span. Steve Clifford’s team was limited to 43% shooting from the field, as Nicolas Batum led the Hornets with 24 points in the Game 1 loss. The Hornets extended their ‘over’ streak to six after eclipsing the Game 1 total of 199, while moving to 9-3 to the ‘over’ in the past 12 road contests.
NBA expert Chris David provides his thoughts on Wednesday’s action, “While the Heat looked impressive in Game 1, especially offensively, my lean would be to the Hornets in Game 2 based on what we’ve seen from them off losses in the second-half of the season. Charlotte has gone 7-1 since the All-Star break after a loss while averaging 106.3 PPG and the lone setback only came by six points.”
Will Charlotte continue its ‘over’ run in Game 2? David feels that it will be another shootout in South Florida, “I’m a little surprised the opening total of 203 got steamed down to 199 so quickly and I don’t understand the logic behind that move. From what we’ve seen this season, Miami hasn’t shown many offensive letdowns after lighting up the scoreboard. They’ve busted 120-plus three times in the regular season and they averaged 109 PPG in the next game. Plus, the last nine meetings between this pair at American Airlines Arena have all gone ‘over’ the number.”
Eastern Conference – Game 2 – Cleveland leads 1-0
Pistons at Cavaliers (-10, 201) – 8:05 PM EST – TNT
Detroit gave Cleveland all it could handle in Sunday’s Game 1, even leading by two points heading into the fourth quarter as 11-point underdogs. However, the Cavaliers rallied to outscore the Pistons in the final 12 minutes, 30-23 to capture the opener, 106-101. Detroit managed the cover as double-digit ‘dogs, but the Pistons need to do more work to slow down Cleveland’s Big Three.
Point guard Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 31 points in his first playoff game since breaking his kneecap in the opener of last summer’s NBA Finals. Kevin Love pumped in 28 points and 13 rebounds, while LeBron James scored 22 points and dished out 11 assists to improve Cleveland’s playoff home record against Eastern Conference foes to 7-1 SU since the start of last season’s postseason. However, the Cavaliers have covered only three times at Quicken Loans Arena against the East in this span, while dropping to 0-4 ATS in its past four playoff games overall.
The Pistons shot the ball well in spite of letting things slip away in Game 1, connecting on 50% of their shots from the floor and knocking down 15 three-pointers. The backcourt duo of Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope combined to score 38 points on 14-of-26 shooting, while Marcus Morris contributed 20 points in the defeat for Detroit. The Pistons are seeking their first playoff win since 2008, as each of their last five postseason defeats have come at the hands of the Cavaliers.
David believes things will turn around from a totals perspective in Game 2, “Even though Game 1 went ‘over’ in this series, I would come back with the ‘under’ in Game 2. I thought the game was going to be ugly and technically it was as Detroit only took 73 shots, but they happened to connect on 51 percent of them and that included 15 bombs from 3-point land. I expect both those numbers to drop on Wednesday and I think Detroit will do a better job on the glass, which should limit Cleveland’s attempts. The total is hovering in the same neighborhood and I don’t see the winner getting over the century mark on Wednesday.”
The Pistons are currently riding a 4-1 ATS run in the road underdog role, while owning a 1-2 ATS record as a double-digit underdog this season. The Cavaliers have cashed just eight times in 21 opportunities as a favorite of at least 10 points this season, while James has posted a 9-3 SU and 5-7 ATS record in his last 12 Game 2’s of the playoffs after winning the series opener.
Western Conference – Game 2 – Los Angeles leads 1-0
Blazers at Clippers (-8 ½, 209) – 10:35 PM EST – TNT
The Warriors and Spurs have cruised to 2-0 advantages in their Western Conference quarterfinal series, while the Thunder were tripped up by the Mavericks in Monday’s Game 2. The Clippers seem like the forgotten team of this upper-half in the West, but Los Angeles seeks a 2-0 series edge after pulling away from the Blazers in the series opener, 115-95 as 8 ½-point favorites.
Los Angeles connected on nearly 54% of its attempts from the floor on Sunday night, led by point guard Chris Paul’s 28 points. Six Clippers scored in double-figures, as Paul’s backcourt mate J.J. Redick shot an efficient 8-of-12 from the field for 17 points, while Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan combined to score 37 points and pull down 24 rebounds. The Clippers put together a solid performance in their first playoff game since last season’s second round meltdown against the Rockets, as Doc Rivers’ team snapped a six-game playoff ‘over’ streak at Staples Center with an ‘under’ in Game 1.
The lack of depth showed for Portland on Sunday as the dynamic duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum combined to score 30 points, which won’t cut it against Los Angeles. Granted, Lillard did his part by putting up 21 points, but McCollum came out struggling after a solid playoff debut against Memphis last season by scoring nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. The most impressive performance came from reserve guard Gerald Henderson, who contributed 16 points off the bench on 7-of-12 shooting.
David doesn’t see much changing in the result from Game 1 to Game 2 at Staples Center, “The 20-point win by the Clippers in Game 1 wasn’t surprising but seeing the Los Angeles starting backcourt outscore Portland’s two-headed monster, 45-30 opened up some eyes. If the Trail Blazers don’t win that battle, they have no chance at winning a game yet alone staying close to the spread either. Los Angeles has blown playoff games in the past but it’s hard to advise a lean to Portland, who went 3-10 as a visitor in the final six weeks of the season and all three wins were against non-playoff clubs. For our purposes, the Blazers only covered two of the 10 losses and that should could give you extra confidence in laying the points with the Clippers in Game 2.”

**Satch** · 04-20-2016, 11:02 AM

Re: NBA Betting Info. 4/20

NBA
Long Sheet

Wednesday, April 20

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CHARLOTTE (48 - 35) at MIAMI (49 - 34) - 4/20/2016, 7:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
MIAMI is 23-13 ATS (+8.7 Units) versus poor defensive teams - allowing 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
MIAMI is 35-26 ATS (+6.4 Units) versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game this season.
MIAMI is 12-4 ATS (+7.6 Units) in home games versus good offensive teams - scoring 99+ points/game - 2nd half of the season this season.
CHARLOTTE is 23-11 ATS (+10.9 Units) as a road underdog of 3.5 to 6 points over the last 3 seasons.

Head-to-Head Series History
MIAMI is 11-6 against the spread versus CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
MIAMI is 13-4 straight up against CHARLOTTE over the last 3 seasons
11 of 17 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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DETROIT (44 - 39) at CLEVELAND (58 - 25) - 4/20/2016, 8:05 PM
Top Trends for this game.
DETROIT is 12-3 ATS (+8.7 Units) after a division game this season.
CLEVELAND is 31-42 ATS (-15.2 Units) as a favorite this season.
CLEVELAND is 4-13 ATS (-10.3 Units) vs. division opponents this season.
CLEVELAND is 17-26 ATS (-11.6 Units) after scoring 105 points or more this season.

Head-to-Head Series History
DETROIT is 7-6 against the spread versus CLEVELAND over the last 3 seasons
CLEVELAND is 8-5 straight up against DETROIT over the last 3 seasons
7 of 13 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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PORTLAND (44 - 39) at LA CLIPPERS (54 - 29) - 4/20/2016, 10:35 PM
Top Trends for this game.
LA CLIPPERS are 191-250 ATS (-84.0 Units) when playing against a team with a winning record - 2nd half of the season since 1996.

Head-to-Head Series History
LA CLIPPERS is 6-6 against the spread versus PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
LA CLIPPERS is 8-4 straight up against PORTLAND over the last 3 seasons
6 of 12 games in this series have gone OVER THE TOTAL over the last 3 seasons

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NBA Betting Info. 4/20

NBA Betting Info. 4/20

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